Brampton sees decline in new COVID-19 cases Sunday, 5 infections reported; second Brampton Transit bus driver tests positive for the novel coronavirus

On Sunday, Peel Public Health confirmed 5 new COVID-19 cases in Brampton, bringing the city’s total number of cases to 177. In Peel, 37 new COVID-19 cases were reported, bringing the regional total to 485.

The Ontario Ministry of Health has confirmed 408 new cases in the province Sunday, an increase from the 375 new cases reported the previous day. There are now 4,038 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the province. The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 has increased to 523 in Ontario, with 200 people currently in the ICU, 154 of whom require the help of a ventilator.

On Sunday, Peel Public Health confirmed 5 new COVID-19 cases in Brampton, bringing the city’s total number of cases to 177.

On Friday, the city announced a second Brampton Transit (BT) bus driver has tested positive for COVID-19. On March 28, the driver, who worked out of BT’s Sandalwood facility, operated the 2 Main, 501 Züm Queen and 505 Züm Bovaird. In a media release, the city stated Peel Public Health is reaching out to anyone who may have come into contact with the driver and directing them to self-isolate for 14 days from the time of exposure and monitor symptoms. Anyone who travelled on these routes on March 26 and is feeling unwell or exhibiting symptoms is asked to reach out to Peel Public Health. BT continues to sanitize its buses every 24 hours, while “[f]acilities and terminal lunchrooms, tables, counters and door handles are cleaned and sanitized twice a day.”

The Region of Peel confirmed two more deaths from COVID-19 Friday, including two men in their 70s, one from Brampton and another from Mississauga, who were both treated by healthcare professionals in hospitals operated by Trillium Health Partners in Mississauga. Thus far, there have been four deaths in Peel. According to the William Osler Health System, which operates Brampton Civic Hospital and Peel Memorial Health Centre in Brampton, alongside Etobicoke General Hospital in Toronto, 395 people have received a positive diagnosis for COVID-19 at its assessment centres, while 31 are currently being cared for in its hospitals.

37 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Peel Sunday, bringing the regional total to 485.

As Brampton and the Region of Peel grapple with rising rates of COVID-19 and the economic and health impacts of the novel coronavirus on residents, Ontario has moved to protect vulnerable people, investing $40 million in organizations that provide services to children and youth, people with developmental disabilities and emergency shelters for women and families fleeing domestic violence. The province's COVID-19 Residential Relief Fund will cover the costs of additional staffing, respite for caregivers, personal protective equipment and initiatives to support physical and social distancing, according to a news release on the Government of Ontario’s website shared Saturday.

Ontario has also launched a new online portal to connect workers with employers seeking to fill positions in the agri-food sector. "Right now, there are important jobs that need to be filled across the food supply chain and we are looking for individuals who embody the Ontario spirit to step up and provide an essential service," said Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, in a Saturday news release. "From farm to fork, it's these dedicated heroes in the agri-food sector who are working through this difficult period each and every day to keep food on our kitchen tables."

Hundreds of thousands of people working in Ontario's agriculture and food industry keep the supply chain moving, ensuring the shelves of grocery stores are stocked and people have food on their tables.

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